Individual Growth and Team Enhancement: Moving Toward a New Model of Career Development

Abstract

More and more companies are facing complex situations in which people must rely upon one another to get work done. This reliance is frequently fostered through the use of work teams, which are being deployed in organizations throughout the United States and in other countries in the hope of attaining enhanced levels of productivity and performance.¹ Organizational restructuring has also produced ill-defined and unpredictable career paths requiring employees to assume almost solitary responsibility for their own careers. Employees in the 21st century will periodically backtrack in their careers, moving from expert back to novice as they are required to have new competencies that may very well be in areas unconnected to their personal preferences. Adaptation to these career shifts and movements into unfamiliar roles and responsibilities may take place more smoothly within a supportive team environment. While much consideration has been given to human resource issues such as selection, performance evaluation, and rewards regarding teams, attention to career development issues has not emerged as a concern in team-based organizations.² Future work places may require people to rely on team members for rewards, recognition, and training traditionally provided by the company. Strong teams may hinge on developing career paths and designing career development events that are deployed through team-based experiences.